Bronzing machine



Jan. 26 1926.

' a. F. UPI-1AM anouzme MACHINE Filed April 11, 1924 2 stints-Shoot 1 Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

srarss BURT FROST UPHAIK, GF BEGOKLIFFE, ItEASSACE-Z'USETTS, AESIGNOR TO UNITED PRINT- ING MIACHINERY COlvTPANY, 0L? BOSTON, IJIASSAGI-IUSEI'TS, A CORPORATION 013 MASSACHUSETTS.

BRONZING- IEACHINE.

Application filed April 11, 1924.

companying drawings, which form part of this specification.

This invention is an improvement in so called bronzing machines, and is an improvement on the machine shown in the application of Upham and Stevens, filed June 8, 1922, Serial No. 566,778. Its object is to provide a more simple machine by which sheets can be smoothed out and carried through the machine without the use of grippers; and by which the bronzing may be thoroughly effected.

The invention includes novel means whereby the sheets are conveyed through the machine and smoothed out, and whereby bronze powders or the like will be properly applied to the sheets during their passage through the machine.

In the accompanying drawings 1 have diagrammatically illustrated a bronzing machine constituting one embodiment of the invention, and will explain the same with reference thereto, to enable others to adapt and use the invention, and in the claims following the description I have summarized the essentials of the invention, and the novel features of construction and novel combinations of parts for all of which protection is desired.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic side view of a bronzing machine embodying the invention.

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic vertical longitudinal section of such machine.

Figure 3 is a diagrammatic plan view of such machine.

Figure 1 is a detail perspective view of the feed cylinder and polishing belts.

The sheets S may be fed by hand or by a suitable automatic feeder 8 to and between a feed roll 2 and a coacting underlying cylinder 1 of much larger diameter than the roller. The cylinder is mounted on a shaft 1 which may be journalled in hearings on the Serial No. 705,879.

side frames of the press, as hereinafter explained, and roll 2 is mounted on a shaft 2 journalled in hearings in the side frames of the machine.

In the machine the cylinder 1 forms a support and conveyor for the sheets S between the feeder 8 and the delivery table 14; the cylmdercarrying the sheet to and beyond the bronze applying and feed roll 2, and to and past the polishing belts 12 and 13 hereinafter referred to.

In the drawings 1 have indicated an automatic or semi-automatic sheet feeder comprising a belt 8 which is guided over rollers 7 and 7 so as to direct the sheetv S to and between the cylinder 1 and roll 2. The belt Smay be driven in the proper direction and the proper timeby any suitable means.

Bronze or other powder may be supplied to roll 2 by any suitable means. 1 and 2 of the drawings ,a hopper 3 is shown above the roll 2, and in the hopper is a roller 3, mounted on a shaft 3 adapted to supply the bronze powder to the roll 2,, by which it is fed onto the sheets S as they pass between the roll 2 and the cylinder 1.

The bronze powder is applied to the upper side of each sheet as it passes under the roll 2 andlies on the upper part of the cylinder 1; and after being supplied withbronze the sheets are carried forward on the surface of th cylinder 1.

After passing the feed roll 2 and while lying on the upper side of thecylinder l the sheet is subjected to the action of opposed smoothing and rubbing or polishing belts 12 and 13. The portions of said belts which engage the surfaces of the sheet are preferably arranged at obtuse angles to the line of travel of the sheet.

The belts 12 and 13 are preferably arranged at an obtuse angle to each other and to the median circumferential line of the cylinder 1. The belts 12 and 13 preferably diverge from the center'niedian line of the cylinder, or converge toward the median thereof as most clearly shown in Figure 3. By angling the belts 12 and 13 on the cylinder, as shown, the inner run of each belt (contacting with or next to the cylinder) will have a uniform constant pressure thereon, as the run of the belt extends diagonally of the curvature of the cylinder and thus insures a uniform constant pressure of the In Figs belt on the cylinder or surface of the sheet lying thereon, and it is not necessary with such construction to use any auxiliary means (such as rollers or pressure bars) to cause the runs of the belt to have uniform and constant pressure upon the paper or sheets. Any desired pressure can be given by tensioning the belts; as by adjusting the position of the belt carrying rollers.

By this arrangement of belts 12 and 13 each sheet is smoothed out, by being lightly rubbed outwardly from its center towards the opposite sides thereof, as it moves under the belts; so that irregularities and wrinkles in the sheet are smoothed out. Furthermore the powder applied to the sheets is rubbed and polished by belts 12 and 13 in a most etiicient manner.

The belts 12 and 13 assist the cylinder 1 in forwarding the sheet, and prevent wrinkles forming in the sheet during the rubbing operation, and also smooth out any previously formed wrinkles in the sheet.

The belts may be mounted and driven in any suitable manner. As shown the belt 12 runs over a pulley 12 at one side of the machine and a pulley 12 supported at the center of the machine. The belt 13 runs over a pulley 13 at the opposite side of the machine and a pulley 13 at the center of the machine. These pulleys may be rotatably supported in any suitable manner in their respective positions so that the lower runs of the belts contact with the sheet upon the surface of the cylinder 1 and incline outwardly toward the direction in which the cylinder rotates, and there is a uniform constant contact between the plush sides of the belts and the sheet on the cylinder as indicated in Figures 8 and 4 and no auxiliary means for holding the runs of the belts in contact with the sheet is required, whereas if the belts were used on a flat surface it would be necessary to employ some auxiliiary means such as rollers to hold the belts properly in contact with the sheet. I find in practice that it is a decided advantage to use the belts 12 and 13 arranged as shown relative to the cylinder, as compared with the use of belts applied on a fiat surface as in the aforesaid application.

Each pulley 12 and 13 may be, and preferably is, made vertically adjustable in any suitable way. As shown each pulley 12 is mounted on a spindle or stud on a block 12 attached to the main frame; and is preferably made adjustable up or down in any suitable way. Similarly, each pulley 13 is attached to a block 13 adjustably attached to the main frame at the opposite side of the machine.

The belts 12 and 13 may be driven in any desired manner so that the lower runs of the belt move oppositely to the ends of the cylinder. As shown a pulley 12 is attached to the shaft of the pulley 12 and is engaged by a belt or cord 11 which extends from the pulley 12 down under a guide pulley 11 to a drive pulley 11 on the driven shaft 5; and from the pulley 11 the belt passes back under a guide pulley 11 up to the pulley 12 The belt 13 may be driven by a similar device on the opposite side of the machine, pulley 13 being shown attached to the shaft of the pulley 13 and engaged by a belt l1 which is driven from a pulley 11 on the shaft 5 and passed over and under intermediate guide pulleys in the same manner as belt 11.

The idler pulleys 11 and 11 are preferably mounted so as to be vertically adjustable so that either can be adjusted to tension the related belt 11 as desired.

The shaft 5 is the main shaft, and may be driven in any suitable manner. As shown it is provided with a drive pulley 5 which may be belted to any suitable driver. Shaft 5 carries a pinion 5 meshing with a gear 1" on cylinder 1 to drive the latter. The feed roll 2 may be driven by a pinion 2 meshing with gear 1 The belt 8 might be driven by a pinion 7 on roller 7" meshing with an intermediate pinion 7 which in turn meshes with the gear 1 on the shaft 1' of cylinder 1. (See Fig. 1.)

In operation a sheet of paper is fed between the cylinder 1 and the feed roll 2, and is supplied with powder from the hopper 3 as it passes between the cylinder 1 and roll 2, the sheet having been previously printed or impressed so that powder will adhere to the design impressed thereon. As the sheet is carried forward by the cylinder 1 it comes into contact with the outwardly moving surfaces of the lower runs of the inclined belts 12 and 13, which smooth and straighten out the sheet by lightly rubbing opposite portions of its surface in opposite directions, and also rub the powder upon the sheet and remove any surplus powder which might adhere thereto; and after passing the belts the sheet is discharged from the cylinder onto a table 1 1, or to any other suitable receiver.

If desired, a plurality of belts 12 and 13 may be employed in accordance with the size of the machine and the amount of work in tended to be done thereby.

While I have referred to the bronzing means as belts I intend by belts to include any kind of endless polishers which might be usable as or in place of belts 12 and 13. I prefer to use leather belts with plush fabric attached thereto as common in bronzing machines, but do not consider the invention limited to any particular material for a construction of. such belts.

The roll should hold the sheet 53 to the cylinder until the sheet has come under the influence of both belts, otherwise the belt 13 might tend to shift the sheet to'one side. Assoon as the sheet is engaged by both belts it is smoothed out in both directions and air removed between the sheet and the cylinder. The opposite movements of the belt keeps the sheet from beingshifted on the cylinder until it is delivered.

In this machine the sheet, even if the colner of-a sheet had been raised or turned up,

or folded back upon itself, the belts 12 and 13 are running at a very much higher speed than the cylinder will actually smooth and flatten out the sheet, even if it came to the belts with a completely turned up and over corner.

The machine can be used for smoothing out crinkled sheets of paper when it is not desired to bronze the same and the sheets can be fed thereto manually or automaticaly and these machines can be made quite small, and no grippers are required to handle the sheets. Such machines can be readily adapted to receive the sheets direct from a printing press.

The operative parts may be enclosed in any suitable housing, or such as is commonly employed to prevent dissipation of the loose bronze during operation of the machine.

I claim:

1. In a machine of the character specified, a cylinder and belts arranged at obtuse angles to the line of movement of the sheets with their inner runs conforming to the curvature of the portions of the cylinder with which they cooperate, said belts being adapted to operate upon the sheets carried forward on the cylinder.

2. In a machine as set forth in claim 1, means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

3. In a machine of the a cylinder, belts moving in opposite directions and disposed at opposite sides of the line of movement of the sheet, and arranged at an obtuse angle to each other with their inner runs conforming to the curvature of the portions of the cylinder with which they cooperate, said belts being adapted to simultaneously operate upon the sheets carried forward on the cylinder.

i. In a machine as set forth in claim 3, means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

5. In combination, a cylinder for supporting sheets, endless belts arranged at obtuse angles to each other and at obtuse angles to the direction of movement of the cylinder with their inner runs conforming to the curvature of the portions of the cylinder with which they cooperate and the inner end of one belt passing beyond the inner end of the other belt, said belts being adapted to smooth out the sheets as they are carried forward by the cylinder.

character specified,

6. In a machine as set forth in claim 5, means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

7. In a machine of the character specified, a cylinder, means for applying powder to the sheets, adjacent belts moving in opposite directions and disposed at opposite sides'of the longitudinal median line of the cylinder and arranged at obtuse anglesto each other, said'belts having their inner runs conforming to the-curvature of the portions of the cylinder with which they cooperate, said belts being adapted to simultaneously operate upon the sheets as they are carried forward on the cylinder.

8. In a machine of the character specified, a sheet conveying cylinder, sets of guides for belts disposed adjacent the cylinder the axes of said guides being angularly disposed relatively to the axis of the cylinder, and the axes of one set of guides being angularly disposed relatively to the axes of-the other set; and belts running over said guides with their inner runs conforming to the curvature of the portions of the cylinder with which they cooperate, said belts being adapted to operate upon the sheets as they are moved by the conveyor, substantially as described.

9. In a machine as set forth in claim 8, means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

10. In a bronzing machine, a sheet conveying cylinder, means for feeding sheets thereto, means for applying powder to the sheets, sets of guides for opposed belts disposed above the path of the sheet the axes of said guides being angularly disposed relatively to theaxis of the cylinder, and the axes of one set of guides being angularly disposed relatively to the axes of the other set and belts running over said guides with their inner runs conforming to the curva-' ture of the portions of the cylinder with which they cooperate, said belts being adapted to operate upon the sheets as they are moved by the cylinder, substantially as described.

11. In a machine as set forth in claim 10, means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

12. In a machine of the character specified, a sheet conveying cylinder, endless belts, guides for the belts at the median line of the cylinder disposed above the path of the sheet, guides for the belts at the ends of the cylinder disposed below the first guides, the underside of each belt lying at an obtuse angle to the line of movement of the sheets, and the inner run of each belt conforming to the curvature of the portion of the cylinder with which it cooperates, said belts being adapted to operate upon the sheets as they are moved by the conveyor.

13. In a machine as set forth in claim 12,

means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

14. In a bronzing machine, a sheet conveying cylinder, means for feeding sheets I thereto, a roll coacting therewith for applying powder to the sheets, a pair of endless belts, guides for the belts so disposed relatively to the path of the sheet that the lower run of each belt is caused to conform to the 10 opposed surface of the cylinder; said belts being arranged at an obtuse angle to each other and the underside of each belt lying at an obtuse angle to the line of movement of the sheets, said belts being adapted to operate upon the sheets as they are moved 15 thereby on the cylinder, and means for driving the belts.

15. In a machine as set forth in claim 14, means for applying powder to the sheets before reaching the belts.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I aflix my signature.

BURT FROST UPHAM. 

